UNDG
Encyclopedia
The United Nations Development Group (UNDG) is a consortium from the result of UN reform, created by the Secretary General of the United Nations in 1997, to improve the effectiveness of UN development activities at the country level.
Its strategic priorities are "To respond to the Triennial Comprehensive Policy Review (TCPR) and global development priorities, and to ensure the UN development system becomes more internally focused and coherent, the UNDG has developed and endorsed a set of strategic priorities for 2010-2011. The UNDG strategic priorities give direction to UNDG [members] efforts at the global, regional and country level to facilitate a step change in the quality and impact of UN support at the country level". It brings together 32 UN agencies and groups, plus five observers working on various and/or similar development issues from the UNDP to the ILO. The Group is chaired by the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme
(UNDP) on behalf of the Secretary General.
and the UNFPA into the UNDP. However, it was noted that the UNDP was still the UN's largest operational development cooperation body. Finally, then Secretary General Kofi Annan
worked to form the UNDG and won praise from then UNDP Administrator James Speth.
and the United Nations General Assembly
provide oversight and mandates for the UNDG. The UNDG is overseen by the Economic and Financial Committee (Second Committee) of the General Assembly. The UNDG has provided reports such as the Comprehensive statistical analysis of the financing of operational activities for development of the UN system for 2006 and the Comprehensive statistical analysis of the financing of operational activities for development of the UN system for 2007 to the General Assemby.
The UNDG's chairperson is the UNDP's Administrator. Since its inception, the following have been the Chair of the UNDG:
For more about DOCO's work see its official page.
Its strategic priorities are "To respond to the Triennial Comprehensive Policy Review (TCPR) and global development priorities, and to ensure the UN development system becomes more internally focused and coherent, the UNDG has developed and endorsed a set of strategic priorities for 2010-2011. The UNDG strategic priorities give direction to UNDG [members] efforts at the global, regional and country level to facilitate a step change in the quality and impact of UN support at the country level". It brings together 32 UN agencies and groups, plus five observers working on various and/or similar development issues from the UNDP to the ILO. The Group is chaired by the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme
United Nations Development Programme
The United Nations Development Programme is the United Nations' global development network. It advocates for change and connects countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. UNDP operates in 177 countries, working with nations on their own solutions to...
(UNDP) on behalf of the Secretary General.
History
By 1997, there were calls within the United Nations and to draw all UN agencies working on development issues together. Many UN Development Programmes and Funds and Specialised Agencies were encroaching upon each others activities. An initial proposal was to merge the UNICEF, the World Food ProgrammeWorld Food Programme
The World Food Programme is the food aid branch of the United Nations, and the world's largest humanitarian organization addressing hunger worldwide. WFP provides food, on average, to 90 million people per year, 58 million of whom are children...
and the UNFPA into the UNDP. However, it was noted that the UNDP was still the UN's largest operational development cooperation body. Finally, then Secretary General Kofi Annan
Kofi Annan
Kofi Atta Annan is a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the UN from 1 January 1997 to 31 December 2006...
worked to form the UNDG and won praise from then UNDP Administrator James Speth.
Members of the UNDG
- UNDP - United Nations Development ProgrammeUnited Nations Development ProgrammeThe United Nations Development Programme is the United Nations' global development network. It advocates for change and connects countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. UNDP operates in 177 countries, working with nations on their own solutions to...
- UNICEF - United Nations Children's FundUnited Nations Children's FundUnited Nations Children's Fund was created by the United Nations General Assembly on December 11, 1946, to provide emergency food and healthcare to children in countries that had been devastated by World War II...
- UNFPA - United Nations Population FundUnited Nations Population FundThe United Nations Population Fund is a UN organization. The work of the UNFPA involves promotion of the right of every woman, man and child to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity. This is done through major national and demographic surveys and with population censuses...
- WFP - World Food ProgrammeWorld Food ProgrammeThe World Food Programme is the food aid branch of the United Nations, and the world's largest humanitarian organization addressing hunger worldwide. WFP provides food, on average, to 90 million people per year, 58 million of whom are children...
- OHCHR - Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
- UN WomenUN WomenThe United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, also known as UN Women, is a United Nations entity working for the empowerment of women and girls....
(formerly UNIFEM) - UNOPS - United Nations Office for Project ServicesUnited Nations Office for Project ServicesThe United Nations Office for Project Services , is dedicated to implementing projects for the United Nations System, international financial institutions, governments and other partners in the aid world...
- UNAIDS - Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDSJoint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDSThe Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS, or UNAIDS, is the main advocate for accelerated, comprehensive and coordinated global action on the HIV epidemic....
- UN-HABITAT - United Nations Human Settlements ProgrammeUnited Nations Human Settlements ProgrammeThe United Nations Human Settlements Programme is the United Nations agency for human settlements. It was established in 1978 and has its headquarters at the United Nations Office at Nairobi, Kenya...
- UNODC - United Nations Office on Drugs and CrimeUnited Nations Office on Drugs and CrimeThe United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime is a United Nations agency that was established in 1997 as the Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention by combining the United Nations International Drug Control Program and the Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Division in the United Nations...
- WHO - World Health OrganizationWorld Health OrganizationThe World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...
- DESA - United Nations Department of Economic and Social AffairsUnited Nations Department of Economic and Social AffairsThe United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs is part of the United Nations Secretariat and is responsible for the follow-up to the major United Nations Summits and Conferences, as well as services to the United Nations Economic and Social Council and the Second and Third Committees...
- IFAD - International Fund for Agricultural DevelopmentInternational Fund for Agricultural DevelopmentThe International Fund for Agricultural Development , a specialized agency of the United Nations, was established as an international financial institution in 1977 as one of the major outcomes of the 1974 World Food Conference. IFAD is dedicated to eradicating rural poverty in developing countries...
- UNCTAD - United Nations Conference on Trade and DevelopmentUnited Nations Conference on Trade and DevelopmentThe United Nations Conference on Trade and Development was established in 1964 as a permanent intergovernmental body. It is the principal organ of the United Nations General Assembly dealing with trade, investment, and development issues....
- UNESCOUNESCOThe United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization - FAO - Food and Agriculture OrganizationFood and Agriculture OrganizationThe Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations is a specialised agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Serving both developed and developing countries, FAO acts as a neutral forum where all nations meet as equals to negotiate agreements and...
of the United Nations - UNIDO - United Nations Industrial Development OrganizationUnited Nations Industrial Development OrganizationThe United Nations Industrial Development Organization , French/Spanish acronym ONUDI, is a specialized agency in the United Nations system, headquartered in Vienna, Austria...
- ILO - International Labour OrganizationInternational Labour OrganizationThe International Labour Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that deals with labour issues pertaining to international labour standards. Its headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland. Its secretariat — the people who are employed by it throughout the world — is known as the...
- UNDPI - United Nations Department of Public InformationUnited Nations Department of Public InformationThe United Nations Department of Public Information helps non-governmental organizations gain access to and disseminate information about United Nations issues so the public can better understand the aims and objectives of the organizations...
(Regional Commissions (ECA, ECE, ECLAC, ESCAP, ESCWA - rotating annually) - OHRLLS - Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries & Small Island Developing Countries
- SRSG/CAC - Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed ConflictWorking Group on Children and Armed ConflictOne of the results of the in 2005 was denouncing the use of children in armed conflicts. Yet, to this date, of the world are still being forced to bear arms and wage war side by side with adults...
- UNEP - United Nations Environment ProgrammeUnited Nations Environment ProgrammeThe United Nations Environment Programme coordinates United Nations environmental activities, assisting developing countries in implementing environmentally sound policies and practices. It was founded as a result of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in June 1972 and has its...
- UNHCR - United Nations High Commissioner for RefugeesUnited Nations High Commissioner for RefugeesThe Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees , also known as The UN Refugee Agency is a United Nations agency mandated to protect and support refugees at the request of a government or the UN itself and assists in their voluntary repatriation, local integration or resettlement to...
- OSAA - Office of Under Secretary General (USG - Special Advisor on Africa)
- UNWTO - United Nations World Tourism Organization
- WMO - World Meteorological OrganizationWorld Meteorological OrganizationThe World Meteorological Organization is an intergovernmental organization with a membership of 189 Member States and Territories. It originated from the International Meteorological Organization , which was founded in 1873...
- ITU - International Telecommunications Union
Observers
- World BankWorld BankThe World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
/ World Bank GroupWorld Bank GroupThe World Bank Group is a family of five international organizations that makes leveraged loans, generally to poor countries.The Bank came into formal existence on 27 December 1945 following international ratification of the Bretton Woods agreements, which emerged from the United Nations Monetary...
(not exactly specified which) - UNFIP - United Nations Fund for International Partnerships
- OCHA - Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian AffairsOffice for the Coordination of Humanitarian AffairsThe United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs , is a United Nations body formed in December 1991 by General Assembly Resolution 46/182...
- Spokesman for the Secretary-General
- Director, Office of the Deputy Secretary General
Leadership
The United Nations Economic and Social CouncilUnited Nations Economic and Social Council
The Economic and Social Council of the United Nations constitutes one of the six principal organs of the United Nations and it is responsible for the coordination of the economic, social and related work of 14 UN specialized agencies, its functional commissions and five regional commissions...
and the United Nations General Assembly
United Nations General Assembly
For two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly, see:* General Assembly members* General Assembly observersThe United Nations General Assembly is one of the five principal organs of the United Nations and the only one in which all member nations have equal representation...
provide oversight and mandates for the UNDG. The UNDG is overseen by the Economic and Financial Committee (Second Committee) of the General Assembly. The UNDG has provided reports such as the Comprehensive statistical analysis of the financing of operational activities for development of the UN system for 2006 and the Comprehensive statistical analysis of the financing of operational activities for development of the UN system for 2007 to the General Assemby.
The UNDG's chairperson is the UNDP's Administrator. Since its inception, the following have been the Chair of the UNDG:
- James Speth (1997–1999)
- Mark Malloch BrownMark Malloch BrownGeorge Mark Malloch Brown, Baron Malloch-Brown, KCMG, PC is a former Minister of State in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the British government with responsibility for Africa, Asia and the United Nations...
(1999–2005) - Kemal DervişKemal DervisKemal Derviş is a Turkish economist and politician, and former head of the United Nations Development Programme. He was honored by the government of Japan for having "contributed to mainstreaming Japan's development assistance policy through the United Nations." In 2005, he was ranked 67th in the...
(2005–2009) - Helen ClarkHelen ClarkHelen Elizabeth Clark, ONZ is a New Zealand political figure who was the 37th Prime Minister of New Zealand for three consecutive terms from 1999 to 2008...
(2009-)
Executive Committee
The Executive Committee comprises the four founding agencies—the UNDP, the UNFPA, the UNICEF and the WFP (The High Commissioner for Human Rights is an Ex-Officio member of the Committee).UNDG Advisory Group
Under Kemal Derviş' leadership, an "Advisory Group", which provides the UNDG Chair with advice and guidance on managing the operational dimensions of the UNDG and the Resident Coordinator System, was established. In 2009, the non-rotational members of the advisory group were: the FAO, ILO, UNDP, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNICEF, UNHCR, WFP, WHO and UNIDO. The rotational members (for a period of one year, as of 1 August 2009) were: the UNAIDS, DESA and the Economic Commission for Europe (representing all five Regional Commissions).Development Coordination Office
The UN Development Operations Coordination Office (DOCO) is a key component within the UNDG, promoting social and economic progress by providing support. It was key part of UNDG's formation in 1997, uniting the UN system and improve the quality of its development assistance. Coordination leads to more strategic UN support for national plans and priorities, makes operations more efficient, reduces transaction costs for governments, and ultimately helps people attain the Millennium Development Goals and other internationally agreed development objectives.For more about DOCO's work see its official page.
See also
- Delivering as OneDelivering as OneDelivering as One is the name of a report and an initiative. The report was issued by a United Nations panel established by the then UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, in 2005. The report explored how the United Nations system could work more coherently and effectively across the world in the areas...
- Reform of the United NationsReform of the United NationsSince the late 1990s there have been many calls for reform of the United Nations . However, there is little clarity or consensus about what reform might mean in practice. Both those who want the UN to play a greater role in world affairs and those who want its role confined to humanitarian work or...
- United Nations Development Assistance PlanUnited Nations Development Assistance PlanThe United Nations Development Assistance Plan is a common business plan for the United Nations agencies and national partners, aligned to the priorities of the host country and the internationally agreed development goals. The UNDAP builds on the current joint programming processes for developing...
- United Nations Development ProgrammeUnited Nations Development ProgrammeThe United Nations Development Programme is the United Nations' global development network. It advocates for change and connects countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. UNDP operates in 177 countries, working with nations on their own solutions to...